forget-me-not
by CrimsonedClouds
Summary: ...and perhaps the notion of one being shoved into the body of an unwilling four-year-old child with the ability to walk others' minds in a world full of psychopaths, killers, and psychopathic killers is not the best of ideas. (But I make it work, anyways.) SI/OC
1. open your eyes

**one: [open your eyes]**

Everything hurt.

My arms, my legs, my stomach, my neck (_my neck was snapped, there was_ bloodbloodbloodbloodblood-), my head.

And then a rush of memories slammed into my mind and I shot upwards with a sharp cry of pain.

(I was born on the fourth of October, forty-one years after the founding of Konoha. My parents are both ninja- my father, Sho Yamanaka, a jonin, and my mother, Chie Yamanaka, a chunin. I have an elder sister, Harue, a chunin.)

(_What?_)

A whimper escaped my lips.

(I am four years old. I am about to attend the Academy- I begin within the month.)

My eyes cracked open, the world spinning around me.

(I have no friends. Nobody wants to talk to me (not even my own sister). I'd rather remain on the sidelines and watch, anyway.)

It was approximately dawn. There were exactly twenty-two birds in the tree next to my room. The one closest to me had four hundred twenty-six feathers on its body (not enough,) and was recently attacked by a predator. My parents (that's not right, not _right_-) were out on a mission, had been for a month and would be for another one.

(I am a Yamanaka. I am going to join T&I in the future (if I survive long enough). I am trained to read people like open books- I know what makes you tick, I know what you're thinking, I _know what you're going to do next_.)

I slipped out of bed and headed to the bathroom. (How?)

(_I am nobody. I am everybody_.)

(_No_.)

(_I'm not_.)

I stood in front of the mirror. (_This isn't me_.)

I was too small. My face was too childish. My eyes were too wide. My hair was too long. (_I am not me_.)

(Deep breath. In, out. In, out.)

I opened my eyes and started again.

I was under four feet. My face was round, lined with baby fat, but I knew that I would be rather pretty when I grow up. My eyes were wide and intelligent (too intelligent), and a clear, consistent blue (there are no pupils to speak of). My skin was tanned, but still on the pale side. My hair was blonde, slightly wavy, but also spiky (unnaturally so. Who am I? Where am I?).

In other words, I was not me and I was also freaking out.

I stood there for a very, very long time and stared at my reflection. I looked _so very much_ like a certain _fictional character_ that it was almost frightening. I couldn't be her, though, right? It was a dream. (It's fake.)

Ahahaha, _no_. I could- I could _feel_. This was _real._ (_It can't be. It _can't.)

I blinked back tears, failing quite horribly as a few droplets slid down my cheeks. I was scared. I was _scared_.

(I don't want this.)

(This isn't happening.)

(It's _not real_.)

(_Not real, not real, not real_-!)

"In. Out. In. Out. Breathe, H-..."

(I can't remember my name.)

(What is my name?)

"Shi-chan?"

I jumped and whirled around, eyes wide and vision blurry with tears. Standing before me was my elder cousin, Inoichi (my cousin. My cousin?). He was dirty, and looking a little worse for wear, but, still, he came over and kneeled on the tatami mats, peering into my eyes. "What's wrong, Shi-chan? What's scaring you?" He murmured.

My brain stuttered to a halt.

(He knows. He _knows_.)

"I'm s-scared of- scared of-" I began, lips wobbling and nose running, "I'm scared of going to the academy!"

(I'm not. I'm really not.)

"Why is that, Shi-chan?"

(Shi? Is that my name?)

"The- the other kids in the c-clan don't l-like me. What if my new- new clash- class- classmates- don't like me either?" I mumbled.

It was true, I suppose (for the girl whose body I stole.) I don't know what 'Shi' was really like, but the other kids seemed to avoid her. (My memories portray her as strangely intelligent and much too mature. Perhaps that's why.)

Inoichi's eyes were calculating as he stared me down, and I shifted uncomfortably.

"Shion," he began (my name is _Shion_. _Remembrance_.), "I'm sure you'll be fine. I have a friend- teammate, now- Shikaku, he's been over a few times- who is very, very smart. Even smarter than you, and he got through the academy just fine! Look, he even has me as his best friend- me, the most amazing and handsome man in the whole of Konoha!"

I giggled slightly. Shion remembered Shikaku- laid-back and much-too-smart. Still, he was kind to her.

"Trust me, you'll be fine. And if any of the other kids make fun of you, you show 'em who's boss, okay!?" Inoichi exclaimed brightly, a grin splitting his face.

I smiled slightly and nodded (_calm, H- Shion. Calm_.).

"Okay, Inoichi-nii."

Inoichi smiled. "I have to clean up now. You should change- we have to leave in," he paused and glanced out the window at the glaring yellow sun outside, "thirty minutes."

I startled and nodded dumbly as he left me standing there. I smiled at myself, pupil-less (freak, I'm really, truly a freak this time around-) blue eyes crinkling as I did so. "What a weird dream this is. I hope it ends soon." I said aloud before I scurried back to my room.

* * *

There were strange clothes in this dream. I had only three kimono tops, four pairs of tights, a strange pair of hideously blue sandals and a few undershirts. I donned a red top with a black undershirt and a pair of gray tights. The shoes were also strange, but I put them on without fanfare (I own no socks, which is strange).

I left the strange, Japanese-style house with Inoichi(-nii) and headed out into the village (Shion loves the village. I don't- it's not real.), down large, bustling streets in which my cousin held my hand so as to not lose track of me, and finally we reached a large building that really gave me _Yamanaka_ vibes. (Please don't ask. I really don't want to explain.)

I gripped Inoichi's hand tighter. He graduated from the academy a while ago- he was, ah, fifteen? Sixteen, maybe- and was currently a jonin. I mean, he was an important and valued ninja and should have been out running missions to serve and protect the village. So, why was he running a flower shop?

Inoichi tugged me into the shop gently, or as gently as possible, and I huffed as I stumbled along after him. The door swang open with a ding! and the smell of flowers (rose, camellia, forget-me-not, lily, are those peonies over there?) invaded my nostrils. I inhaled deeply because, whoa, it smelled really good for some reason. I've never liked flowers- I don't know why I would in a dream.

I paused.

(Maybe it's not a dream?)

(Ahahaha! No, that's silly. Of course it's a dream. What else could it be?)

I continued.

"Inoichi-nii, why are we at the flower shop?" I murmured.

It seemed all this body was capable of at the moment was murmuring. How annoying.

"Well, you see, I won't always be here- I could be out on a mission or something of the like-, and, well, we can't let our loyal customers down! Today, I'll be teaching you the basics of running this shop if it comes to that, starting with the most important thing- Hanakotoba!" My cousin explained.

"Ah," I mumbled, "I see."

"So, let's start- you see that flower right there? Can you name it?" Inoichi pointed towards a rather frilly-looking, pale pink flower to my right.

"It's a peony," I answered immediately, automatically.

"Very good! You see, the peony represents…"

And so, my first day (twenty-four hours, not a day- there's a difference-) in the dream-world passed.

* * *

**I'm an utter piece of crap. I joined the Naruto SI/OC bandwagon. I'm sorry. Please forgive me. I know I should be working on Solace, but I couldn't help myself. I've had this idea in my head for a looooong time.**

**This story is inspired by Lang Noi's **_**Catch Your Breath**_** and Lore55's **_**Strawberry**_**.**

**Shion has picked up exactly three volumes of Naruto and watched 300 episodes. She's not a fervent fan, and hardly remembers anything (which is why she hasn't connected the dots yet- Yamanaka, Inoichi, Konoha…).**

**It may seem that Shion has accepted this 'new life' too easily, but ****she hasn't****. She hasn't accepted it at all. She literally thinks she's in a medically induced coma and hasn't woken up yet- that this is all a dream. In addition, Shion is very adaptable (on the outside) and a good liar (more to herself than to others).**

**It isn't- she's dead.**

**(And yet, she knows she's dead. She **_**knows**_**. And she also knows exactly where and **_**when**_** she is. She just hasn't- doesn't **_**want to**_**\- come to terms with it yet.)**

**Also, this character is not me. She's more of an OC than anything.**

**[Sorry to any Solace followers. I'll try to find inspiration for chapter 4 soon!]**

**Publication Date: 4/10/19**

**Word Count: 1303**


	2. don't wake up

**two: [don't wake up]**

Two weeks later found me collapsed on the strangely thin mattress on the tatami-mat floor (futon, it's a futon), curled into a ball and gripping my head in my hands.

This couldn't be happening. It _couldn't_.

(Impossible. It's _impossible_.)

I squeezed my eyes shut and blocked out the nagging voice in the back of my mind. It was annoying (like always).

It was a dream. It was just a dream- but what if it wasn't? I'd heard of reincarnation before- the cycle of rebirth. However, wasn't it that your memories were wiped, and you were given a clean slate to start over with?

Well, whatever. None of this mattered in the end. I would wake up soon. It'd all be fine. I would have to apologize to my friends, though, for leaving them for a while. (It was very inconsiderate of me, wasn't it?)

Ahahaha, I wonder when (if) I'll wake up.

It's been a while.

(Did the nurses forget about me? Did they forget the 'waking up' factor of a coma? (Did they forget to pull the plug?))

This really was a strange dream, a strange dream about the world of _Naruto_. I hadn't read or watched it in a while- I wonder why my mind chose to conjure up this of all things.

Unless it's not a dream, and I really _did_ die and I ended up in this body in the world of _Naruto_ in which it's certain I will be dead before I reach puberty (judging by the state of the village. There's no Fourth Hokage on the monument. Yes, yes, I'm screwed.).

But it wasn't, it was a dream, just a strange dream. It's not like I could feel, had felt, the ground beneath my feet, the gentle touch of the wind, the rough callouses on Inoichi-nii's hands.

What's the word for it, again?

Ah, _lucid_.

It was a lucid dream. Just that.

I tried to move on from those thoughts as I turned over on the mattress (futon), eyes narrowed. I'd noticed strange buzzing energy around me- around _everyone_\- since the day I'd wandered into this dream. It was a calming feeling, but still different. _Foreign_.

I could reach out to it, hold onto it, pull on it. Mold it to my will, make it move. I could see it, a burning flame of various colors within peoples' cores. What was it? Probably chakra- Inoichi-nii mentioned it. Weird- my mind really did make up the strangest things (or was it in _Naruto_? But, if it was and I didn't know, how did I dream this-).

Anyways, it was kind of cool. I could see my own 'chakra' floating around me, not contained and reeled in like Inoichi-nii's. He said it required training. (There was no point since I was going to wake up soon).

It was lilac, like my namesake. I had very little of it compared to Inoichi-nii's and some of the other adults I'd seen walking around, but I had more than other kids my age. Inoichi-nii said it was because I was the child of two full-fledged ninja and a clan kid. I trusted him (even though he wasn't real).

So, to get back on track, I wanted to test out whether or not I could actually make it _physical_. I can see it easily, subconsciously, sure, but nobody else I knew could. I wanted to try this, just for the sake of it- after all, I only had so long before I woke up. (Right. Yes. That's the plan.)

By this point I was already sitting up on my futon, staring at my hand in deep concentration. I felt my chakra, from within and around me, shifting and moving and I _pulled_.

It didn't come easily like usual. It resisted.

Beads of sweat were beginning to form on my brow, sliding down my face as I glowered at my hand.

And then, finally, something within my chakra _snapped_.

Lilac-colored light engulfed my hand, and my eyes lit up in joy. Ahah! I'd done it! I'd managed to mold my chakra!

As I was about to call for Inoichi-nii- who was in the other room- my hand began to sting.

The stinging grew more and more painful by every second until my entire hand was engulfed in a horrible burning sensation; like it was being stabbed and stabbed and stabbed _again_ and then engulfed in fire and acid and _it hurt so so much_.

The feeling spread to the rest of me.

So I did the only sensible thing.

I _screamed_.

And everything went black.

* * *

I opened my eyes.

I was in a white room: white walls, white floors, white ceiling, white furniture, white bed and bed sheets, white doors.

...A hospital?

I was attached to an IV drip. There was a heart monitor and other machines I didn't recognize. Bandages were wrapped around my right hand.

Why was I in the hospital? This was a dream, I couldn't be hurt-

And then it hit me.

I had used chakra. I had _hurt myself_.

I had _bled_.

I had _felt pain_.

This- this wasn't a dream.

All of this was real.

I died, and I was reincarnated into the Naruto world.

I promptly passed out once more.

* * *

The next time I woke up, Inoichi-nii was sitting next to me, head in his hands. He looked guilty.

A wave of guilt and regret washed over me, and I hesitantly moved to sit up. He responded immediately, head snapping upwards and eyes zeroing in on me. He was tense, looking sad and angry and irritated and relieved all at once. I wonder how that's possible.

He sighed deeply and I shifted uncomfortably. I didn't like it when Inoichi-nii was upset. When he was upset, he was… scary.

You didn't want to be on the receiving end of Inoichi-nii when he was _mad_. I pray that he's only upset.

"Shion," he began and I winced because he didn't use my nickname and that probably meant I was in some deep shit, "what in the world possessed you to even _think_ about trying to mold your chakra? Haven't I told you that it's _dangerous_? That you could _die_?"

I winced once more and lowered my head.

"You could have _died_, Shion. _Died_, and it would've been _my fault_ because I was a _fucking idiot_ who _left you unsupervised_ and _told you about molding chakra_ and didn't even _think_ of the repercussions! And- and you would be _gone_!" He continued, his voice cracking slightly at the end.

Tears pricked my own eyes automatically (I suppose it comes with being a child again- _again?_)) as I struggled to form a response.

"I-I'm s-sorry, I-Inoichi-nii! I-I j-just w-wanted to s-show y-you that I c-could d-do it, 'c-cause y-you s-said t-that o-only p-people w-with the b-best c-chakra c-control could b-become m-medics, and I- and I just wanted to show you, I didn't mean for this to happen and I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm _sorry_-!"

I was cut off by Inoichi-nii pulling me into a hug. And I remembered that no, this wasn't a dream- this was real, my cousin was real, my _clan_ was real, _it was all real_.

My tiny hands fisted his shirt as I sobbed into his shoulder (I don't know why, why am I crying, I'm sorry, I'm sorry-). His hands were four times the size of my own, holding me to himself, and I distantly realized that he could kill me at that moment faster than I could even try to blink. But I didn't really care; I was too far gone to do so, anyway.

"It's okay, Shi-chan. You're okay, and you're not going to do something like this ever again, are you?" Inoichi murmured.

"I- I w-w-won't!" I sobbed.

Inoichi hummed quietly, pulling me even closer to himself. I don't know when it happened, but eventually, after what felt like hours of uncontrollable sobbing (because I died and I was never going back home), I fell asleep peacefully in my cousin's arms.

* * *

**Second chapter. Whooo! Ah, so, you know; you're not supposed to feel actual, uhm, horrifyingly realistic agony in dreams, and Shion started bleeding and it really hurt like hell.**

**So.**

**She's come to the realization that- bare with me- this is a) not a dream and b) she probably won't ever be able to go back home (which isn't actually a problem to her).**

**Okay, I actually don't know jack shit about lucid dreams but, just, for the sake of the story? It just kind of dawns on her? Okay?**

**I'm shit at this kind of stuff. Sorry.**

**Publication Date: 4/10/19**

**Word count: 1340**


	3. shut the blinds

**three: [shut the blinds]**

The first thing I did when I got home (after Inoichi-nii left me alone, which took a while in itself) was shut all my blinds, snuff out all the candles, and close all the doors.

I then proceeded to huddle under a mountain of blankets on my futon.

"Oh god, oh god, oh god, this is _real_, I'm here, I'm in another world, I'm going to _die_-"

Calm. Be calm, _Shion_.

I needed to think over this before I began to panic in full.

My conscience- my spirit- was shoved into the body of a four-year-old girl born to two full-fledged ninja from a clan that is known to have the ability to walk others' minds (or something). I was born forty-one years after the founding of Konoha, and the Second Shinobi World War ended a little over half a decade ago.

Which means I'm going to be caught in the Third Shinobi World War and will likely die before I reach my double digits.

But it also means that I'm in, uhm, _Kakashi Gaiden_. Or something. (Or something.)

So, yes, I'm screwed.

I never.. Read past volume three, and I watched some three hundred episodes. That's it. I have no idea what the hell goes on after that, but I'd liked Kakashi somewhat back then (back then), so I watched _Gaiden_.

Ugh, at least I can be thankful for that of all things (of all things).

But, but, but-but-but, but- if I could, ehm, change stuff?

I mean, I have some knowledge, and I'm a Yamanaka with access to extra training and I'm joining the Academy soon, and, and- so-?

...Nah.

Eheheh, I feel like a bad person (because I am one) saying this but I could care less what happens to Kakashi and his team, honestly. As long as I'm not caught up in the middle of it, it doesn't matter to me.

Right?

(Right.)

The only people that matter to me are Inoichi-nii and maybe my parents (I don't really remember. Harue doesn't concern me, either.), so what does it matter if the plot plays out like it should? Kakashi turned out relatively fine with his team in the end, and, uhm- Minato and the red-haired woman died, but Naruto was happy with his friends.

So.

So, no.

No changing stuff.

Now that _that_ had been decided, I heaved myself up from under the blankets- I was beginning to sweat- and rolled onto the cold tatami-mat floor. I shivered from the sudden lack of warmth, but it was a nice feeling.

And then I drifted off to sleep.

* * *

"I-Inoichi-nii, w-what is this?" I stuttered (almost as bad as that white-eyed girl. Hinako? Hinaki? Hinata?) as we entered the clan training field.

"Well, you need to start training your body at some point, don't you? The academy starts in a week- considering you being, well, _you_, this training is starting late. Mostly because of the setback with The Incident." My cousin responded.

Ah. We'd taken to calling the chakra-molding incident as, well, _The Incident_.

Just so nobody would know. It was quite embarrassing, after all.

"Alright. We're going to start with basic stretches. Now, follow in my lead," Inoichi-nii explained.

I was always an athlete in my past life- I loved to exercise, and I was good at it too (running, yoga, sports-), so this was no problem for me. It was a little uncomfortable with this body that wasn't used to physical exertion, but it was much better than when I'd started out in my past life- I was surprised when I could bend down and place my palms flat on the ground while still keeping my legs perfectly straight. Inoichi-nii didn't seem bothered, so I didn't make a big deal out of it. After that, he directed me towards running- I managed a surprising ten laps around the training field before I collapsed. Pretty good for a four-year-old with no prior training.

And then my cousin decided to get started on katas.

So there I was, huffing and puffing through different stances over and over and _over_, limbs aching and trembling. I was at it for a full hour (or what felt like one- I wasn't entirely sure at the time) before my cousin stopped me.

My whole body was practically numb. I flopped onto the ground and did not get up no matter what.

Inoichi-nii ended up having to carry me home. Oops. (Oops!)

* * *

It continued on like that for the rest of the week. I didn't even realize that it was Monday until I was woken up quite rudely to get ready for the academy.

And then I remembered.

_The war. Kakashi. Konoha. Obito. Graduation. Team Seven. Minato. Chunin exams. Rin. Chidori. Nine-tails. Naruto._

(And it all started then.)

In a daze (unprepared for what's to come), I changed into a black undershirt (again), red kimono top (again, again) gray tights (again, again, again), and donned my sandals (again, again, again, again). This time, however, I strapped my new (clean) weapons pouch to my leg with fresh white bandages before I headed out.

Inoichi-nii was out on a mission, so I had to walk with one of my other cousins who I didn't particularly like. Of course, she was the one who woke me up as well, if you're wondering.

Ugh.

My cousin (I couldn't remember her name) spoke up once we reached the academy, much to my disappointment. I'd wanted to forget she was there.

"Shion-san, I will be here to retrieve you after your introductory classes have concluded. Please wait for me by the front gate, and remain with the other children your age for as long as possible; I do not wish for you to be alone." My cousin instructed.

"U-Uh-huh," I responded quite eloquently, looking up at her through my bangs.

"Very well. I shall see you later, Shion-san," the older blond concludes before flickering away.

I jerk back in surprise. That was the _shunshin_\- the body flicker technique! Inoichi-nii had demonstrated it before, but this woman was much more precise and less dramatic about it. I supposed that Inoichi-nii was showing off.

Grumbling to myself about stupid cousins and weird ninja bullshit, I didn't notice as I rammed head-first into a pair of legs.

As I stumbled backward, my head shot up and I prepared to apologize to whoever I'd bumped in to. Instead, I froze in my tracks as I caught sight of the person's face.

"Are you okay, little girl?" The silver-haired man paused in whatever he was doing to turn and face me, and I felt a cold feeling settle in my chest.

I was being unbelievably rude right now, but I didn't really care, because in front of me was a dead man walking.

Sakumo Hatake, in all his confused glory, tilted his head in confusion and waved a hand in front of my face.

I snapped out of whatever trance I was in as he did so.

"I- I-I'm s-s-s-so s-s-sor-r-ry-y!" I shrieked, bowing so low that I practically slammed my forehead into the ground.

"Woah! It's okay. Just be more careful next time, alright?" Sakumo exclaimed, grinning sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his neck.

Automatically, I began to analyze him. Sakumo Hatake was a very powerful and well-respected ninja, and that showed itself in the way he carried himself; he was a proud man, but not an arrogant one. He was feeling a little nervous and possibly awkward, but I could only pick up on those because he let me. I knew that _he_ knew that I was observing him.

If he wanted, this man could kill me right there, right then, in the blink of an eye.

Well.

Any ninja could, really. I was pathetically weak, a tiny scrap of a four-year-old girl with little to no conditioning to the ninja life. After all, I was only just starting the academy today.

I realized I was staring for much too long, and quickly averted my gaze.

"I- I'm sorry for bumping i-into y-you, s-sir! I'm S-S-Shion Y-Yamanaka!" I squeaked.

"Again, it's quite alright! Say, you're starting the academy today, right? You might be in the same class as my son. If you don't mind me asking, how old are you, Shion-chan?" Sakumo laughed.

(Why was he laughing?)  
(Was he laughing _at me_?)

My face flushed furiously at the thought- how embarrassing!- and I distracted myself by responding. "I-I'm f-four y-y-years old, s-sir," I mumbled.

"Oh? A year younger than my Kakashi," (my heart stuttered to a halt at that name, and dread pitted in my stomach), "are you? My son actually started last semester, so you're probably not his classmate."

Huh? Kakashi and co. started last semester? That was… six months ago. So they're almost a year older than me. I sighed in relief- I wouldn't be placed on Team Seven- I was completely off the hook! Ahahaha!

"U-Uhm, e-excuse me f-for a-asking, b-but why w-would y-you a-assume that I w-would b-be in the s-same c-class as y-your s-son i-if h-he s-started l-last s-semester?" I stuttered.

Curse this body. Curse this mindset. I never used to stutter _this_ badly in my past-... before I died.

"Ah, sorry, I must've confused you. I heard a student from this semester was getting bumped up to the next class," Sakumo explained.

"O-Oh, I s-see."

Now that I thought about it, it was kind of bold of me to assume that I would be born in the exact same year that Kakashi, Obito, and Rin were- it just didn't work like that. But still. I was still in their generation. Ugh.

"Oh! How rude of me- I haven't even introduced myself- my name's Sakumo Hatake!" The silver-haired man chuckled, a grin plastered onto his face.

"N-Nice to m-meet y-you, H-Hatake-san," I murmured.

Sakumo looked like he was about to say something else when the first bell rang, and I jumped in fright. He must've seen the horror spreading across my face because he smiled guiltily.

"I'm sorry for holding up. I'll be going now. Have a nice day, Shion-chan!" He exclaimed before body-flickering away.

I yelped as I watched him disappear, but quickly regained my composure and rushed into the school building.

"Oh no, oh no, oh no, I'm late, I'm late-!" I squeaked.

After a good five minutes of searching for the auditorium, I managed to slip inside with the tail-end of the line and took a seat in the very back.

Far, far away from where the Third Hokage, God of Shinobi, The Professor, stood, preparing to give his grand speech to us ninja-wannabes.

It started out boring. And became even more boring. And even _more_ boring. I quickly zoned out as he continued on with his speech.

"Shion Yamanaka," a chunin up on stage called.

I jolted out of my stupor and glanced around in shock, my face flushed furiously.

Oh god, oh god, had I done something wrong!? Had they noticed I wasn't paying attention-!?

The kid next to me elbowed me in the ribs. "Go! Get your folder!" They hissed.

Oh. _Oh_.

The entrance ceremony. Right, right!

Immediately, I stood from my chair and scurried up to the stage to receive my folder. The chunin gave me the stink-eye (I was a good minute late) as I mumbled an apology and took my folder from him. Once the whole process was over, I speed-walked back to my seat with great haste.

A few kids were laughing.

Ah, what a great first impression.

I could already hear kids whispering to each other about me being a ditzy idiot. I closed my eyes and prayed that everyone would forget about this whole thing soon.

After all, I didn't want to end up being the next Obito, did I?

* * *

**Hi, hi, new chapter. Thanks for the favorites/follows so far!**

**So, uh, yeah.**

**Shion has exactly one week of prior training for the academy, so she's pretty average, but she's the youngest in her class by far. Also, Kakashi and co. are five to six to her four-turning-five. A year older.**

**Reviews? I need some feedback to know if I'm doing something wrong! :)**

**Publication Date: 4/11/19**

**Word Count: 1967**


	4. close the doors

**four: [close the doors]**

The academy was huge. Expansive hallways, multiple auditoriums, large training fields, an even larger schoolyard, a teachers' lounge- and don't even get me started on the classrooms. Everything in the 'real' version of the Naruto world was much bigger than portrayed in the show and manga, though I suppose it's more due to lack of time and budget than inaccuracy. But, still; it came as quite a shocker to me when I walked into my new classroom to find a whole goddamn _lecture hall_ waiting for me. I practically tripped on my own two feet from the shock- it wasn't at all what I was expecting- and stood stock still in the doorway until the student behind me shoved me in with a scowl and a few demeaning words. I wallowed in embarrassment and shame once more and promptly decided I would be sitting in the back of the classroom (again) for the rest of the year. No use trying to make friends with how things were going so far.

So now you can find me sitting alone in the very back of my expansive classroom, listening to my new homeroom teacher drone on about classroom rules and what we would be covering in terms of classes throughout the year. His name was Shiro Taka. _White bird_. Funny, since his hair was back and he was a burly older man. Not exactly suited for flight. Also, the moment I heard his name, I began to get weird Sasuke/Karin/Suigetsu/Juugo flashbacks. I dunno, it comes with the name I suppose.

Moving on; the criteria for the first year was _so easy_. Basic math, language, history, and kunoichi classes for us kunoichi-in-training (that I was not looking forward to. Why did I need to learn how to knit?). There was also very basic physical education; we would be doing some running and stretching, going over academy-standard kata, learning how to throw shuriken and kunai, and doing occasional spars towards the end of the year. We wouldn't even touch chakra until our third year.

All of which I already knew at that point. The original Shion was very studious for a four-year-old child, which is why she was labeled as some sort of prodigy (or something). I now knew something like one thousand kanji and was improving at a steady rate, the basic alphabets, and could write. Shion also knew some history, but I'd been studying up for the academy (unnecessarily, it seemed) and was perfectly caught up with everything. I wasn't entirely dependent on Shion's prodigious mind (which was now my own); I was an aspiring engineer before I died. I knew how to do basic math!

Don't even get me started on physical education; the kind of 'extensive training' going on in the first year was nothing compared to what Inoichi-nii put me through every day (or had me go through by myself when he was gone). I was probably more physically fit than all the non-clan kids in my class, which was basically everyone but me (there was another Yamanaka there that I recognized as my (Shion's) sixth cousin twice removed on my father's side who sat near the front. There was also a Hyuuga to my near left.). I'd already started shurikenjutsu when I was three (apparently) with blunt kunai and shuriken, and I was well on my way to hitting the dead-center every time with real ones, now.

Honestly, I was glad for Inoichi-nii's training. I didn't want to be stuck with these snot-nosed brats all year, right? Maybe I could move up a few years and graduate early so nobody would remember me and then I could-

Oh. Wait.

If I move up a year, I might be stuck with Kakashi and co.

I might be stuck on Team Seven.

Yeah, no thank you.

So, I'd either have to a) move up multiple years or b) stay in this year and deal with the (highly likely) chance of potential bullying.

Well. I didn't know if I wanted to be in Itachi's situation- being five years younger than both of his teammates-, but I really didn't want to deal with my new classmates…

The chance of me being placed on Team Seven was unlikely if I remained perfectly average. After all, Team Seven was usually composed of the kunoichi of the year, rookie of the year (supposedly) and dead-last of the year.

Wait- didn't Kakashi graduate early? Then how could he be rookie of the year-?

Ah, nevermind. It didn't really matter.

(Decisions, decisions.)

Just then, Taka-sensei walked by (silently) and placed a sheet of paper on my desk as he did so. It appeared he did the same for everyone.

I examined the paper. It appeared to be some sort of test- a very simple one. A placement test? Well, I suppose this was my chance; if I got an outstanding score on all of this, I could be bumped up a year or two. If I remained perfectly average, I could stay in this class and slack off every day as I already knew everything there was to learn for the year.

Well. Option two sounded more appealing at the moment.

So, it was decided. I'd do that, remain perfectly average, graduate at nine (it was going to be a time of war- I'd be forced to graduate by that point), become a genin, maybe fail my prospective sensei's test, join the genin corps, remain within the village for missions and do grunt work for the rest of my career, marry, have kids, watch my kids grow up, and then die peacefully in my sleep.

Yes, that sounded like a good plan. Now, time to take this placement test…

* * *

The test was a piece of cake. I easily breezed through it in under five minutes, but went back and rewrote all my answers twice so as to not make myself stand out. I got a few wrong, such as _'What was the name of the First Hokage's wife'_ and _'What village is Konoha most closely allied with'_.

I answered the prior with 'Miko Uzumaki' (because I couldn't bear to get it completely wrong- I loved the Uzumaki clan, really!) instead of 'Mito Uzumaki,' and the latter with 'Uzushiogakure' which was technically true prior to its destruction, and I really didn't want to seem stupid enough to put _Iwagakure_, who we had a bitter rivalry with at the moment or _Kumogakure_, who had attempted to steal Konoha clans' dojutsu multiple times. Also, both of those villages had been directly responsible for the destruction of Uzushio- they had formed an alliance and invaded the smaller village-, so that was a big no-no. I could've put _Kirigakure_, but it was too obviously wrong. Tales regarding the horrors of the Village of the Bloody Mist were not uncommon in Konoha, and probably all the other villages as well, no matter how tough and cold-blooded they made themselves out to be. I also didn't want to get it right by putting _Sunagakure_, so I settled on the Whirlpool Village.

It was strange, though, that nobody in the generations succeeding those who were alive while Uzushio was still standing seemed to know anything about our sister village. I'd asked Inoichi-nii about it. He'd looked at me gravely, eyes sad and serious and a grimace on his face. He'd merely shook his head and turned away. He assumed I'd figure it out on my own, that it was better that way, I suppose- and I did. Konoha didn't go around spreading tales of our sister village's strength and magnificence- Konoha ninja as a whole, including the Third Hokage, were too ashamed of their failure to aid our closest ally that they chose to forget, instead. After all, Konoha needed ninja to sustain itself- if people went around spreading stories of the village's greatest failure, what reason would children have to become a ninja? To fail their allies and watch as they die a horrible death at the hands of our enemies? I'd think not.

The civilian population of Konoha seemed to pick up on the ninjas' reluctance to speak of Uzushio. If they hadn't already known and grieved and felt the same pain and regret that the ninja did, they certainly made sense of it after Uzushio was gradually erased from our scrolls and from daily conversations between citizens.

After a while, Uzushio faded away into a distant memory, one full of regret and pain.

Our sister village was still honored, though, by the Uzumaki clan symbol sewn onto the back of every flak jacket in Konoha; after all, the Senju and Uzumaki were cousin clans, and Mito Uzumaki was just as much of a founder of Konoha as Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha.

The Uzumaki clan- and Uzushio as a whole- had made a great sacrifice by sending Kushina Uzumaki to us as the next vessel for the Nine-tails when Mito was at death's door; they lost a girl who could've become a great asset to their village, but more importantly, they lost _family_. Uzushio was mostly populated by members of the Uzumaki clan, renowned for their proficiency in the art of sealing. Uzumaki clan members had to have married into other families of non-Uzumaki Uzushio citizens, which meant that almost everybody in the Whirlpool Village was related. So it was likely with great reluctance that the village's leader gave up Kushina to Konoha to become a jinchuuriki- a _human sacrifice_-, even despite the alliance between our villages.

Still, if Kushina hadn't been sent to Konoha, she would have perished in the inevitable destruction of Uzushiogakure and would've never met her future husband, Minato, meaning that Naruto would never be born, and the prophecy wouldn't take place. This also meant that Naruto wouldn't be able to save the world from psychopaths like Madara or wannabe-psychopaths like Black Zetsu.

Ah. I was ranting again.

Anyways, back on track. I turned in my test seventeen minutes after the first person (the Hyuuga girl, who looked very smug for some strange reason) with what I knew was a score of twenty out of twenty-five. It was a decent score for a clan kid, so it kept me under the radar while it also seemed to please Taka-sensei who seemed none to surprised by my answers until the ones where I answered 'Miko Uzumaki' and 'Uzushiogakure' (since they were consecutive questions); it seemed he was impressed by both my answers, but a little put off by my second one. I could tell when he reached those two questions- his eyebrows rose and then furrowed and his eyes flashed with some foreign emotion before he scribbled something on my test and flipped to the next page.

For some strange reason, I felt some sort of feeling of smugness settle over me at the thought of me knowing about Uzushio, even if I was technically cheating with my foreknowledge.

Oh well. It wasn't my fault I was in this situation in the first place.

Anyways. After everyone finished the test- which took an hour, mostly for the civilian kids-, it was time for lunch.

So there I sat, awkward and alone with my bento beneath one of the Hashirama trees in the schoolyard.

Alone.

Awkwardly.

Yep.

I poked at my bento with my chopsticks for a while before closing it and placing it on the ground beside me. I wasn't hungry.

I sort of zoned out for a while, but I was snapped out of my daze as a group of raggedy-looking kids stomped up to me. My eyes narrowed upon instinct, and I began to analyze them. There were four of them; they were all male. Three of them were clan kids; I saw two Inuzuka and my Yamanaka cousin. There was also a civilian boy there. I didn't really care for their looks- I'd forget them in a matter of days, anyway. They didn't matter to me as long as they didn't bother me again.

Which they probably would, but I'd have something figured out by then.

"I-I'm s-sorry, did y-you need s-something?" I asked politely (remain calm, Shion), blinking up at the group of boys innocently.

The Yamanaka scowled. "You're Sho's and Chie's kid, aren't you? I heard from my parents that your mom's not even deserving of her rank; she failed to do her job, and brought shame upon the clan with _you_!"

I jerked back in shock, eyes wide. What? Inoichi-nii had never spoken of this.

Cold fury pitted in my stomach. It wasn't me that was angered: it was the original Shion. She had been very close to her parents, and hearing someone insult my parents was the easiest way to get me riled up quickly. Family pride was a thing here, and the instinct to defend my parents was kicking in.

(Did he know that? Was it on purpose?)

"Y-Yeah, a-and w-what o-of it? A-Are you j-just h-here to t-talk s-shit a-about my m-mother? I-If so, y-you can j-just leave!" I snapped, eyes narrowing.

Bully Number One's scowl turned into a sneer. "You think you're so high and mighty, to order me around? Just being close with the main family doesn't mean you're better than me; you're just a scatter-brained idiot, the spawn of two worthless ninja!"

Why were they even here in the first place? Did they just feel the sudden urge to pick on someone, or were they here because people in my clan held some weird grudge against my parents?

Well, the latter would explain the dirty looks I got from my clanmates, and the distance between my sister and I; some civilians and shinobi from outside of the clan looked at me weirdly, too.

I still don't get it, though. My mother failed a mission or something, and I was the result of-

Oh.

_Oh_.

_Shit. I'm a bastard child._

Was my mother in love with an enemy involved in her mission and ended up having me, or did she take a seduction mission and not take the necessary precautions?

If so, why didn't she just get an abortion? Did abortions even _exist_ here?

Still, if Mother had had some intimate relationship with an enemy of Konoha, that was as good as treason- but I thought that my mother was out on a mission? Was she let off the hook?

Or had she actually just been sent out on a seduction mission and made a mistake?

_Or_ did this kid's parents have some weird-ass bullshit grudge against my own for no apparent reason and passed that on to their kid?

Ugh. Stupid clan bullshit; I needed to have a talk with my parents when (if) they returned from their mission in, uhm- actually, they were supposed to return today.

Huh. Good timing, I guess.

"I-I'm better t-than y-you because I-I'm not t-the one g-going a-around i-insulting o-others f-for no r-reason!" I huffed angrily, clenching my fists.

"Hah! You're the spawn of a kunoichi that couldn't even do her job properly and ended up with you, and a shinobi that's so blinded by his selfishness that he doesn't care if his wife endangered his whole clan! You'll end up just like your parents if you become a ninja, and bring shame to our clan! As a _full-fledged_ member of the Yamanaka clan, it's my duty to make sure that doesn't happen!"

The other boys' snickers were quiet and probably forced. They likely had no idea what my cousin was talking about, but they were trying. Probably.

(Probably.)

Anyways, he was just repeating the same information over and over. Some bully he was.

Ah, well, it was to be expected from a five-year-old child who was probably just imitating his parents.

...wait, did he just say '_full-fledged member_'?

Oh, no. He _didn't_.

That fucking-

"A-And, what? I b-bet you heard a-all of this f-from y-your parents; a-and t-that m-means your p-parents w-were s-spreading r-rumors a-and c-creating m-mistrust a-among the ranks o-of our s-shinobi! T-that's w-worse than anything my p-parents have done! T-they p-probably think t-that they're s-so much better t-than m-my o-own p-parents, r-right? If you just follow in y-your parents' footsteps and b-become a worthless shinobi like them, you'll end up g-getting you and the rest of your team killed on your first mission, all because you thought yourself better than e-everyone else and made a s-stupid, _stupid_ decision!" I shrieked, face flushed in anger and fists trembling.

"Why you-! How dare you speak of my parents like that!? My parents are well-respected shinobi! Following in their footsteps will bring nothing but honor upon _my_ clan!" He spat, just as pissed off as me.

"W-What, am I not even a member of the clan anymore because _you_ say so!? You're just p-proving my p-point!" I retorted.

(Oh, hey, I wasn't stuttering as badly anymore. A great accomplishment that would likely not last very long!)

The boy's temper had reached a boiling point, and before I could process what was about to happen (I was too distracted by the anger and hate I felt towards him and the thought that this was an entirely pointless argument. Did every Yamanaka hold some grudge against me?), he had punched me square in the face.

I heard a sharp crack, and a stab of pain ripped through my skull. I cried out in pain as I brought my hand up to cover my bloody, broken nose, eyes teary and pain clouding my thoughts.

Through the haze of tears blurring my vision, I saw my cousin's lackeys preparing to follow in their leader's footsteps.

Before they could land another hit, a loud and rather high-pitched voice interrupted them.

"Hey! Stop it! Leave her alone, you jerks!"

I squeezed my eyes shut in pain, but I managed to pick up on the sounds of a scuffle and then a muffled curse from my cousin.

"O-Oi, it's an Uchiha. Let's go, guys!" He hissed, dashing off to who-knows-where; probably to pick on some other poor kid.

(Uchiha? Oh god, please don't be…)

His lackeys chased after him with great haste, eager to get away from whoever had come to my rescue.

"Eh? Because I'm an Uchiha? Don't they know that… I mean, that's right you jerks! You better run away!" The newcomer cried as the group of boys fled.

There was a pause before the boy rushed towards me in a panic.

"H-Hey, are you okay!? They didn't hurt you too bad, did they!?" Savior exclaimed, seemingly crouching down to get a better look at my injuries.

Hesitantly, I opened my eyes and blinked away the tears, and-

And, _oh_.

_Oh shit_.

Because in front of me stood Obito Uchiha, harbinger of the Fourth Shinobi World War and a psychopathic, cold-blooded traitor in the making.

I passed out.

* * *

**Alright, for some background information (without spoilers): Shion really isn't Sho and Chie's legitimate child. Her real father is from another village, to be revealed later.**

**The bullying wasn't without basis; her mother brought shame upon her family by having Shion, and most of her clanmates are upset with that. Yamanaka kids have been raised being told to avoid her because of this.**

**Her cousin doesn't want to avoid her; rather, he'd take action and pick on her instead.**

**And so, Obito, my lord and savior (;3;), came to Shion's rescue.**

**Shion's going to have to deal with some major crap from her clan for the majority of her life or until she earns their respect.**

**Y'know. Like. Like every generic anime character ever but please disregard that and bare with me because I need help and I have no idea what I'm doing.**

**Anyways.**

**I came to the conclusion that the academy is like a regular school in which there are different class levels for different 'grades' but they all share one lunch time. The third and fourth years have an extra hour of classes.**

**During wartime, children attend the academy for four to five years starting when they are five before graduating at nine to ten years old because the village is in need of more ninja. During peacetime, children spend the same amount of time in the academy but typically start when they're eight or nine.**

**So. Yeah.**

**Hope and pray for more reviews ;3; ?**

**I'm really grateful for all the reviews so far- thank you, guys ^^**

**Publication Date: 4/12/19**

**Word Count: 3132**


	5. light the candles

**five: light the candles**

I dreamt of my caretakers. All soft hands and kind eyes and round edges. Fragments of memories (books read to me in the still of night, quiet conversations in the dark, pointless arguments over the simplest of matters, the shattering of glass against the floor, locked in the closet, darkness all around-) floated around in my mind aimlessly, waiting to be seen and chosen and _looked at_. They awaited my approval to move onwards, to continue and pass and be _free_.

For these were my memories and they were just like me, seeking praise and approval and warmth, the feeling of acceptance (don't know it), of freedom, of relief (foreign emotions, not computable). The feeling of not having to worry about whether or not your friends are _actually your friends_; if they are just using you or they pity you or they _hate you and you'd never know_. But you suspect and suspect and _suspect_ until you can no longer trust anyone but yourself, and even then you are so tired of it all that you can't _do it_ anymore. And you wish for a means to an end, and you regret it once you find it and use it because you end up suffering even more than before, and you cry and cry and cry and _cry_.

(and then you wake up.)

My eyes snapped open and I jolted upwards, gasping for air.

"Whoa! Are you okay!? I mean, I brought you to the nurse but she said you might be in pain after and that I could stay here until you wake up because I was really worried about you and I felt bad 'cause those guys were really really mean to you and I couldn't just stand by and watch and-" Obito cut himself off to supply his lungs with air, red in the face from lack of oxygen.

His eyes met mine, fearful and nervous and worried- he wanted reassurance that I was listening. That I _accepted_ him.

(Just like me.)

…-but when I looked at his face, all I saw was _bloodbloodblood_ and skies of _redredred_, a ringed moon hung like a lantern upon the starry backdrop.

(It would have been beautiful if not for the stench of the rotting corpses beneath his feet.)

"-okay!? I'll- I'll call the nurse- I- I'm sorry, hold on, please hang in there-!" Obito was stumbling over his own feet as he spoke, attempting to run and call for help for some reason.

Why? Why was he- oh, I was trembling.

I was crying; I was hyperventilating.

I swallowed thickly and somehow, through the haze of _breathebreathebreathe_ and _crycrycry_ I found my voice and spoke.

"W-Wait, it's- it's o-okay, I-I'm f-fine!" I croaked, rubbing helplessly at my eyes.

Obito stuttered to a halt, eyes wide. "You're- you're sure!? Really!? I- I mean, I can call the nurse just in case, and I-"

"It's okay. I'm fine, U-Uchiha-san," I mumbled, and _dammit_, I almost got through that sentence without stuttering.

Of course, I had reason to fumble over my words when I reached his name. This was _Obito Uchiha_ we were talking about; you know, the one who killed Minato and his wife (orphaned Naruto, instigated the plot), massacred the Uchiha clan (with help, orphaned Sasuke and drove him down the path of insanity which motivated Naruto and Sakura to become stronger), turned the Akatsuki into Tailed Beast-hunting criminals (jinchuuriki-hunting, only two jinchuuriki remained in the end, Akatsuki's leader destroyed Konoha and killed thousands, Naruto defeated him, he was inspired by Naruto and revived them, Naruto was hailed as Konoha's hero), started a world war and revived Madara Uchiha (_a monster, a demon, worse than anyone could ever dream of being_, civilians whispered, _a founder of Konoha and a great shinobi, a misguided shinobi_, ninja declared) thus indirectly reviving Kaguya Otsutsuki (which allowed Naruto and Sasuke to achieve new levels of _power_ and win the war), and-

…-and he turned out okay in the end. He reconciled, he sacrificed himself for Naruto and was a major figure in the conclusion of the war (-that he started).

I released a shuddering sigh, eyes that were reflexively squeezed shut a moment ago opening. Obito had stopped his ranting and was openly staring at me, hesitant and wary.

He was scared of me because I was scared of _him_.

Mustering up all the courage and determination and kindness I could scrounge up from within me (very little, but still enough), I smiled at him.

It was a weak, shaky smile, but it was a smile, and it was progress.

Obito, after a moment, smiled back.

* * *

Surprisingly, I didn't get called over by any of the teachers throughout the rest of the day. 'The rest of the day' was only three and a half hours since I was late for the class about thirty minutes. Taka-sensei had given me the stink eye but shoved a thin folder towards me as I scurried back to my seat.

My classmates had either given me weird looks and whispering to their friends or were snickering (or both). My face had burned with embarrassment for the rest of the school day, and I hardly paid any attention to Taka-sensei, but he either didn't notice or didn't care. Probably the latter.

As soon as the final bell rang signaling the end of the school day, I made a mad dash for the door and was out of the building in a flash. Didn't wanna get caught up in any more trouble today, did I?

Briefly, I remembered my (female) cousin's words and made my way over to one of the nearby Hashirama trees. It was far enough from the other children whose parents were late or who didn't _have_ parents that were playing _Ninja_ nearby and close enough to the entrance so that somebody would see if anything bad happened. Like if my (male) cousin came back.

Ugh, I really needed to get my (female) cousin's name; it was confusing referring to them as 'female cousin' and 'male cousin.'

Anyways, back on topic. I needed to entertain myself while I waited for Female Cousin to pick me up.

"I- I think I b-brought a book," I mumbled, digging around in my bag.

No luck. I probably left it at home by accident. Huffing in annoyance, I settled down and wrapped my arms around my knees. Cousin was probably going to be a little late as expected, so I had a while to think.

Think, think, think.

And think some more.

Groaning, I placed my head on top of my knees and-

"Yamanaka-chan."

I jumped, scrambling backward in fright and leaning away from Taka-sensei, who was _definitely_ not there half a second ago. Shit, how hadn't I sensed him? His chakra was bright, right in front of me even when I closed my eyelids, a frighteningly cool blue color, and-

-and I was an idiot because Taka-sensei was a _chunin_ and I was a _civilian_. Of _course_ I couldn't sense him; he had body flickered to me.

As if in tune with my dawning realization, sensei's chakra washed over me and I shuddered, unaccustomed to the foreign sensation. It was the backlash from his jutsu- his chakra wasn't volatile and he wasn't aiming to harm me, not using any elemental jutsu either. However, if one was to use elemental jutsu or come at me with the intent to kill, would their chakra output reflect that? Understandably, the former assumption would be more likely, as, according to Inoichi-nii, to perform elemental jutsu you had to bend your chakra to your will and _feel_ the wind, the lightning, the fire, the water, the earth. This was a difficult topic to cover with Inoichi-nii since not even he had as great of a sensing range as I. Rarely was a sensor ever physically capable of _feeling_ and _seeing_ chakra: I was an oddity (mutant, freak). Therefore, hypothetically speaking, with my condition, if, say, an Uchiha aimed their _Fire Style: Great Fireball_ technique at me- or, really, anywhere with any sort of intent, good or bad- I could be burned alive. Fun!

With my limbs still trembling and my bag's contents scattered (I had kicked it aside in my fright), I warily met my sensei's eyes, wringing my hands.

"Y-Yes, s-sensei?" I squeaked.

"Yamanaka-chan," sensei paused and I frowned because he had just repeated his earlier words and _what did he want with me what did I do am I in trouble __**is he going to hurt me**_?

"Yamanaka-chan, how are you feeling?"

I blinked, and then blinked again, and I gaped at him. He- I- who- what- when- _how_-?

"I- I- uh- I'm- I- I don't- I'm, uhm, I can't- I don't," I paused and glanced up, taking note of the frown on his face, "...I- I'm g-good, s-sensei."

He raised a thin, arched eyebrow and _wow_, sensei had eyebrows to die for. I was severely jealous.

"I'm good, sensei. I'm okay. U-Uhm, w-why do y-you ask?" I spoke, slowly sitting up.

"The incident this afternoon. This term may have just started, but I don't want anything bad happening to any of my students, Yamanaka-chan. It's my duty to protect you and cultivate your skills as shinobi-in-training. I care for your wellbeing," Taka-sensei replied evenly.

Yeah, right. This guy was probably just trying not to get on the bad side of Inoichi-nii, the next clan heir, since he'd been informed of my living arrangements (with said Yamanaka).

"U-Uhm, a-alright. T-Thank you, sensei, b-but it's q-quite alright," I mumbled.

Sensei hummed and nodded slightly. "Well, I'll be on my way. Have a good day, Yamanaka-chan," he stated stiffly before body-flickering away.

With a resigned sigh, I tore my eyes away from the spot where my new sensei had stood only a moment before and began to pick up the spilled contents of my bag. My cousin wouldn't come for a while yet, and I would spend my time under that tree waiting for her thinking about my future. After all, what kind of good-for-nothing shinobi was scared of chakra?

* * *

**I am SO sorry for the lack of update for- what, a month? Firstly, my computer broke so I couldn't write since my phone is absolute crap, and second I was grounded for ending the quarter with a B+ in math. Asian moms, am I right?**

**Ugh.**

**Well, I'm back now with a devastatingly short-lived update. No, seriously, it took me three days to whip this out and it turned out like this. Really, not even two thousand words to make up for my absence. Sigh.**

**Anyways, thank you all so much for the follows & favorites!**

**Review, please? Constructive criticism is welcomed with open arms! Please tell me if I mess something up!**

**Publication Date: 5/9/19**

**Word Count: 1685**


	6. undo the lock

**six: undo the lock**

Any and all depictions of the Leaf Village from my past did it no justice whatsoever. For one, Konoha was much less modernized than previously portrayed- or perhaps that was because this was twenty-something years before the protagonist's journey began. Now, in this era and in this time of war, the most technologically advanced thing we owned was a bastardized excuse of a walkie-talkie used for long-distance communication. Compared to the modern world I was used to, they were practically ancient; but for everyone else, they were blessings from above, the beginnings of a new world far beyond the scope of human imagination.

Well, I suppose it was true in a way; within the next thirty years, we would have our very own Game Boy-knockoff! (See: Boruto: Naruto Next Generations.)

Anyways, despite the wonders of our nonexistent technology, Konoha was also much more _practical_ than shown in _Naruto_. In the show, they mentioned Hashirama trees being ever-present in Konoha, but they never really showed any. I mean, all the trees in the Land of Fire were humongous- there was really no differentiation back then. Even worse, there were literally no trees visible within the city walls except in parks, backyards, or training grounds, and even then they were sparse (sans the actual forests). Seriously! And you call yourselves _Leaf_-nin.

Now, however, there was a difference. Hashirama trees were _everywhere_ in Konoha- you'll be a tourist, walking down the street and looking down at your map to find your way and then _thump_! there's a Hashirama tree there, right in the middle of the road! Whoopie! And so you continue on your way, disgruntled, and round the corner only to bump into something again and- surprise, surprise- it's a Hashirama tree! Angry and confused after a long day of bumping into Hashirama trees and getting lost in long, winding excuses for streets with dozens of unnaturally large trees blocking your view of the sky, you finally make your way down to your inn without further delay. You open the door and sigh in relief because you're finally there! And you aren't paying attention as you walk forwards, looking around somewhat, and then you bump into something. So you turn in confusion and stare, and then stare some more, and then _what the fuck, why is there a tree in the middle of the lobby_!?

In simpler terms, the Leaf Village was built _around_ trees, not _between_ trees. From above (as I had dared the Hokage Mountain's long, treacherous staircase), there was no differentiation between the forest 'surrounding' the village and the forest 'within' the village. Not to say that the village wasn't protected; despite the wall being nearly invisible to the naked eye (dojutsu don't count, cheaters), it was lined with devastating traps via Uzumaki clan, ft. Jiraiya of the Sannin.

Speaking of which, I'd been looking into seals for a while now; they were fascinating. Yamanaka or not, I was _definitely_ gonna learn some sealing techniques.

Anyways, my social life had greatly improved over the past few weeks- not only in the academy, though (that wouldn't have it be as 'great'). The villagers, seeing as how I was accepted with flying colors into the academy, were a little less wary and a little more friendly with how they approached me. I suppose that their train of thought was something like, '_if the Hokage thinks she can be a loyal Leaf ninja, she must be good!_'. I also was on neutral terms with my classmates and, despite my constant attempts to avoid him, Obito had somehow managed to worm his way into my social circle (what could I say? He grows on you, that idiot). Along with him came Rin, although she was nice and friendly (and came with the unbearable guilt of knowing, _oh, she's going to die before she reaches fifteen; going to die a bloody, brutal death at the hand of her own teammate in less than a decade_, and not doing anything about it.) so I labeled her as 'acquaintance'. I could live without her, although Obito definitely couldn't. His crush was unbearably obvious, but I didn't think Rin had noticed the difference between 'friendship' and 'more than friendship' yet since I was just as humiliatingly shy around her (and anyone else) as Obito.

I just assumed my shyness was a remnant of Shion!Shion still circulating throughout this body (like a virus), along with her undoubtedly genius mind which I definitely failed to put to good use (what? It's important to memorize food recipes!), while everything else was Me!Shion. Wow, I should come up with another way to label us; Shion!Shion and Me!Shion is just weird, to be honest. How about- "Yamanaka-chan!"

Huh? That's boring, why would I call her 'Yamanaka-chan'? I mean, she was (is?) one, but- "_Yamanaka-chan! Are you listening!?_"

Abruptly, I snapped out of my daydreaming and blinked rapidly, staring dumbly at Taka-sensei, who was standing _right in front of my desk and everyone was looking at me and they were __**laughing**_. Swallowing thickly, I nervously looked up to meet my teacher's gaze. "Y-y-yes, T-Taka-s-sens-sei?" I squeaked.

"Yamanaka-chan. Detention; pay attention in class. I've called your name ten times already."

(I hate you.)

"Now, answer the question, Yamanaka-chan. What is the highest general rank for a regular ninja in the Leaf?" Taka-sensei's chakra was flickering with annoyance; the class was annoyed, too, but snickering behind tiny, clumsy fingers at my misfortune.

"Jo-Jonin?" I mumbled, wishing I could melt into nothingness at that moment.

"Correct," The chunin grumbled, turning and walking back to the front of the classroom.

"Now, above Jonin is…"

I zoned out again. Screw you, sensei.

* * *

"Shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiioooooooooooonnnnnnnnnnnn-chaaaaaaaaaaaaaannnnnn!"

Crap.

"Hey, Shion-chan!" Rin chirped, following behind an ecstatic (and much too loud) Obito.

Really, people were staring.

"Shion-chaaaaaaaaaaan! We waited _forever_ for you! Where were you!?" Obito pouted.

"I h-had d-d-detention," I mumbled, face flushed in shame.

"Aw, that sucks! Actually, Taka-sensei sucks! We had him last year and he totally just gave out detentions for no reason! But he only did it to the people he didn't like!" The dark haired boy whined.

"Uhm, Taka-sensei wasn't that bad! He was a good teacher," Rin interrupted hesitantly, always the peacemaker.

"Yeah, right, of course!" Obito chirped.

I laughed nervously. I didn't want to be here right now. Ugh. I wanted some peace and quiet and… Obito was the opposite of that, no offense to him. "Did y-you guys n-need s-s-something..?" I spoke, avoiding eye contact (please say no, please say no).

"Actually, we were wondering if you wanted to have lunch with us! We were going to go to get ramen, but if you don't want to…" Rin explained, trailing off at the end and looking at me hopefully.

Prepared to turn them down mercilessly, I gathered up all my courage and looked Rin in the eye, opening my mouth and steeling my nerves as I- oh my god. No- her eyes- the _Puppy Dog technique_.

Damage, three thousand.

"A-All right. I- I'll g-go," I sighed, disappointed in my own weakness.

Darn Rin and her undefeatable charms. She just has to be _that good_.

* * *

So. We ended up at Ichiraku Ramen, because apparently when Obito was being the amazing person he was and helping his retired war veteran neighbor get around the city proper, they stopped by here and Obito was _enlightened_.

It was good. It was amazing! Obito and Rin had to leave so I had some more time left and ordered another bowl. Yes, everything was going _just fine_. And then-

"Oi, squirt! You enjoying your ramen? You better be, because Ichiraku Ramen is the greatest thing to grace this world! You hear!?"

My chopsticks clattered to the ground.

"Huh? You okay, kid?"

Holy. Sh*t.

"Kushina, I think you might've scared her-"

What.

"Shut it, Blondie! Hey, kid, answer me!"

No. Way.  
"Kushina-!"

How-!  
"Wait, Minato, what if she's sick? What if I just traumatized her!? What if I just _killed her!?_ Oh my god, Minato, I just killed a child at Ichiraku Ramen!"

"Kushina, I don't think-!"

"Oh my god, I'm going to be detained, I killed her-!"

"Wait, Kushina, what-!"

* * *

**I've been dead for, what. Three, four months? ;-;**

**I hope this is up to your guys' standards. I'm being lazy and pathetic and might start another story consisting of shorter, funnier chapters. For what? I don't know.**

**Sorry again. Life has been hectic recently, which really isn't a good excuse because writing is therapeutic to me. Anyways. I hope you enjoyed.**

**Next chapter will consist of many canon characters. I'll try to update sooner. Probably won't though. ;(**

**Publication Date: 7/13/19**

**Word Count: 1365**


	7. start the day

**seven: start the day**

Kushina was nice. Minato was nice. They were both very, very, nice. I suppose I was scared for nothing, despite how much the plot focuses on them and their future (their son's future).

The only _bad_ thing was Kushina's chakra. Well, not _her_ chakra, but, more or less the Nine-Tails' chakra.

I tried not to dwell on that for long.

But- but it felt _nice_ to be accepted by others, by people who knew my circumstances and still wanted to approach me. (I began to believe that Kushina may not have recognized me.)

After the future-couple and now-friends had sat down next to me by chance at Ichiraku's, and after Kushina had stopped panicking over me (I had snapped out of my stupor after a moment), she began pestering me with the most mundane of questions.

"What's your name? Oh, wait, Inoichi was talking about you, haha! You're Shi-chan, right, right!? Say, how old are you again? Four, or five? Oh, hey, what's your favorite color? Wait Do you know Obito-chan? He's my best friend's little cousin, that annoying little rascal. Hey, hold on, what're you doin' here all by yourself!? Where's Inoichi!? Did he _leave you here __**all by yourself!?**_"

...yeah. You get the idea.

Minato was calmer and much quieter. He wasn't shy, per se, but he was more of a listener (at least when Kushina was around). We didn't talk much, but Kushina and I kind of _clicked_.

(Wait, not like that- get your mind out of the gutter.)

Maybe it was normal for people to get along with Kushina easily. But then again, wasn't it kind of the same for Obito and Rin?

(It might've just been me.)

But talking to Kushina made me feel light. Free. Like I hadn't a care in the world, because all that mattered was us.

She was like the sister figure I never had (mind the 11 year age gap according to her).

And then I became the third wheel when Minato came back from _somewhere_ and sat down next to Kushina.

_Awwwwkwaaaard_.

While they talked, I sat there, thinking. I hardly knew anything about _Naruto_, and most of my information was second hand via obsessive younger sibling. Right now, all the information I had on the series and its characters was very specific, but only pertaining to certain individuals.

1\. Obito Uchiha dies after Kakashi Hatake becomes jonin.

2\. Minato Namikaze becomes the Fourth Hokage.

3\. Kushina Uzumaki is Naruto Uzumaki's mother and Minato his father.

4\. Rin Nohara sacrifices (in my brother's words) herself via Kakashi Hatake for the betterment of the Leaf after some obscure incident on a mission.

5\. The Uchiha are massacred by the Uchiha boy's relative(?), leaving him as the last Uchiha in the Leaf.

6\. Naruto's team is formed with maybe the Uchiha and some girl under someone.

7\. A snake dude attacks someone.

8\. Someone defects from the Leaf.

9\. Naruto travels(?) for a while.

10\. Some guys (mostly Leaf ninja) fight some other guys who are after Teen!Naruto(?).

11\. There's a war against zombie dudes.

12\. Some people die.

13\. Turns out the evil dude is Obito Uchiha, just really messed up in the head.

14\. More people die.

15\. The good guys probably win, since that's what usually happens in the stories.

And that was it. Pretty good for second-hand information in my opinion. Sadly I couldn't remember many names, including the Uchiha and Naruto's other teammates. I remembered people typically had poor opinions of the girl, but my brother had loved her (as a character). The teacher had seemed pretty cool. I think there was a lot of fanfiction about him? Yeah… my brother read those, too. Mostly the 'not age-appropriate' type too. Bleh.

Still, even thinking about what I _could_ do to help versus not helping at all made me guilty, because what if I messed something up and killed everyone? Like if I disrupt the Kannabi Bridge mission and then, oh, Obito, Rin, _and_ Kakashi are all dead and oops, Obito is actually alive and looking for revenge! And then he unleashes the Nine-Tails on the Leaf and kills like half our population! And because Kakashi is dead what about all the missions he would take and complete? The teammates he saved? Actually, would Minato and Kushina even be able to _think_ about having a kid if all of Team 7 sans Minato were dead? _Would Naruto even be born!?_

Ooookay. In, out. In, out. What if they _didn't_ all die and Obito made it out? Well, Kakashi would still be a total prick, and honestly, he wouldn't snap out of it until one of his teammates died, to be honest. So, nevermind, haha.

Wow, okay. So I just won't touch the Kannabi Bridge arc. Maybe prevent Rin from dying? If Obito was alive and found out Rin was dead, that could've been the tipping point for him to… basically, go batsh*t insane.

So. Here I was, third-wheeling with Minato and Kushina on their totally-not-a-date at Ichiraku Ramen, casually trying to list out all the ways to incapacitate Rin before she goes on that mission with Kakashi and dies. Yes, a broken arm in training sounded good. She would have to rest for a week or so, and missions were off-limits. Plus, it was after the war, so the Leaf would be okay. As long as it wasn't a really important mission. Crap, what if it was? What if by preventing Rin from going on that mission, I'll destroy the Leaf Village!?

Wait, did they even complete the mission? I think Rin got kidnapped halfway through or something. Actually, hold on: I didn't even know if it _was_ a mission. Rin might've been kidnapped directly from the Leaf Village (somehow, which was unlikely but Cloud did it so why can't Mist?).

Ugh. A four-year-old's brain was not meant for such strenuous thoughts; I could already feel the headache setting in. _'Maybe I should write this down instead…'_

"Write what down, kid?"

I practically flew out of my chair. Crap! Had I said that aloud? Kushina and Minato were giving me confused looks. "U-Uhm, m-my favorite ramen flavors! S-so that I can share it with Inoichi-nii-san! Cause, u-uhm, he told me we could eat out somewhere tomorrow? Y-yeah, uhm, that," I lied smoothly (haha, I'm so funny).

Not particularly looking like they believed me but letting it slide anyway, Kushina and Minato continued their conversation. Phew. I was off the hook (for now). So, now, yes, I can slip away nice and quietly and _never return here alone_. Plus, Inoichi-nii really did ask me where I wanted to eat out tomorrow; so I could come back here with him in case Kushina (who will probably be here, since I'd passed by here at least twice a day to get to and from the academy and she was here _every single time_) remembered what I'd said. And, uh, the ramen was good. It was _really good_. So, yeah, I was going to play it safe, I decided as I made my escape. Not because of the dynamic duo, but because my parents were already back in the compound according to my chakra sense (their mission had been delayed or something, probably), so I had to hurry if I wanted to catch them before they passed out for the night and left early tomorrow. Also, I was full, y'know. Kushina and Minato waved at me cheerily as I darted away, a skip in my step, and I grinned back at them just as brightly.

Yeah, I was definitely going back there tomorrow.

* * *

**Review:**

**Zombie Cat Scientist: Although this was a review on chapter five, I'll put this here. If you ever see this; thank you very much for your constructive criticism! I didn't really know what I was going to do with this story at first, so the tags were off (for now) and I hadn't checked up on it in a while. There will be action soon, though, if you're actually reading this story. ^^;; Also, I didn't realize that there were no character tags on the story; I think I didn't hit 'save changes' the first time. Once again, thank you!**

* * *

**Hello! I'll be responding to the reviews containing constructive criticism from now on, as you can probably tell. I appreciate all your reviews greatly, though!**

**Kind of a short chapter again. I took this reviewer's words to heart, and fixed some things in the story description, but I also tried to make this chapter more light-hearted. Did it work? I don't know. Do I care? Actually, yes.**

**Publication Date: 7/16/19**

**Word Count: 1259**


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